SIMPLY PUT – FELICIA SMITH IS A VISUAL STORYTELLING VIRTUOSO
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Written by Ciara Hendrix
Although it celebrates three years in existence this year, Felicia Smith of Simply Put let me know that she’s been telling visual stories for nearly 25 years. Translation: “She’s not new to this, she’s true to this” & we are here for it!
I had the exquisite pleasure of chatting with Felicia about her business – a Black woman owned and operated events design company based in San Diego, California. Weddings, baby showers, and pop-up events are just some of the services Simply Put provides. We spoke about the levels of entrepreneurship, her purpose behind the company, & her unique approach to event design.
A lover of vintage, a fashionista, and a highschool counselor (18 years in the game and counting!), Felicia leverages her off-time throughout the school year to “tap into her creative side…and go hard on Simply Put,” she says. The inception of the business began with planning birthday parties for her son, then grew as she began to plan more events for friends and occasional clients. Over the last three years, she has built & fostered relationships with local vendors in SD and across the country.
Felicia guided me through her creative design process with prospective clients and… simply put, it all starts with a conversation. Subsequently, she sends out a mood board based on the collaborative session and what she calls her “Godsend” – her vision for the project.
Above all, she values building trust with her clientele through hands-on collaboration, the team that supports her, and is honored to use Simply Put as the vessel for telling their stories. The opportunity to transform a space for others to create lasting memories is part of the driving force behind Simply Put.
At the end of each year, Felicia partners with one client to provide them with a pro-bono event. In light of how fortunate she has been on her own journey, her gratitude manifests in the form of paying it forward.
“Most of my clients have partnered with me from other events that I’ve designed for someone else” Felicia notes, “I’ve been very blessed.”
In the hospitality & event spaces, flawless execution is a skill that must be diligently cultivated and nurtured. When asked if she had ever studied any facets of design or art in school, Felicia had this to say:
“The root of me is vintage… and I like to approach a design from that perspective. I come from a line of women who like to design in the same fashion, my mom is the redecorating queen! But I make sure I’m consistently educating myself in this business, especially in the floral industry.”
Simply Put touts a full event & design schedule in Winter, Spring, and Summer and is currently booked until September. The company has designed events in the Bay Area of California, Massachusetts, and Miami, Florida. You can view their event design portfolio or reach out through the website.